Mission: Surprise, surprise

I am very blessed.  25 is looking bright.

Mission: Accomplished

details&pics to come.

Mission: DC Getaway, pt.III

We were both exhausted the next morning but we had to rush since check-out was at 12.  After a night out and only a few hours' sleep, we grumbled our way through packing, washing up, and walking out the door.  It didn't help that I lost the valet ticket but the valet was nice enough to not demand it.

Before leaving, we met up with Mike again for brunch at Old Ebbitt Grill at 675 15th St., NW, which apparently is a happening spot for the big-timers in DC.  I didn't see any.  Brunch was wonderful.  I ordered the french toast with berries and it was just sweet enough to pep me up.  John went savory instead of sweet and ordered the breakfast burrito, which must have been good because he almost cleared his plate.  Mike had to get to work and John and I had to be on our way, so once again we bid each other goodbye and left for our destinations.

Our next one happened to be Forest Hill, MD, where John's cousin and his girlfriend lives.  The area is a beautiful Maryland suburb, reminiscent of some Jersey towns.  It's about a half hour north of Baltimore, so it's still too far from DC for me to want to live there.  Had it been closer, however, I would have been sold.  We drove around and saw the National Park and the downtown area (reminiscent of Red Bank).  We stopped at DuClaw Brewing Company at 16 A Bel Air South Parkway, Bel Air, MD for some beer and appetizers.  We ordered some sliders and onion rings which was good but made me feel really guilty afterwards.  As it was getting late, we left soon after for our final stop of the trip -- home.

can't wait 'til next time.

Mission: DC Getaway, pt.II

Even after almost 9 hours of sleep, it was unbearable to get out of bed.  However, the sun was shining and the sights were a-callin'.  We started off our day groggily at Cosi at 700 11th St. NW, right by the Metro Center Metro Station.  John and I both had the Italian Sausage Bolognese Breakfast Wrap...it was meh.  It perked me up and gave me the protein I needed to get going but taste-wise it was something I could have whipped up had I been home.  No matter.  Although we could have easily walked to our destination, the Smithsonian, we took the Metro so that John could see what it was like and I think he liked what he saw.  It's a much nicer system than the NYC Subway System, that's for sure.

Pretty much every station in the city looks like this.

After only a few stops, we reached the National Mall, home to the majority of the Smithsonian museums.  It was a beautiful day, sunny, breezy and not humid.  Our first stop was the National Air and Space museum on 6th and Independence Ave, SW.  I had just been there two weeks prior but then it was a short visit.  We really took our time this time around.  We visited every single exhibit and by the end of it, we were exhausted.  My second favorite, it's a HUGE museum and it's fantastic for kids.  As an adult, however, you start to notice how outdated everything is and I think that aspect turned John off a bit.

UMV -- I think.  Un-manned Vehicle.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Missiles

I think he was captivated by the planes.

After that was the Museum of Natural History on 10th and Constitution Ave., NW.  Hardly any pictures from this one, only because our patience and energy was waning after two hours of walking at the Air & Space.  We flew through the exhibits in a little under an hour and only stopped long enough for a picture at one of them.

Our only picture: The Hope Diamond in the Harry Winston Gallery.

On that note, it was time to grab lunch.  We took a cab up 7th St, one of the busier streets in town, and decided on lunch at Potbelly Sandwich Shop at 726 7th St., NW.  My roast beef and provolone sandwich was delicious and inexpensive and the sour cream and onion "gourmet" chips was one of the most delicious I've ever had.  I can't remember what John ordered but I know he enjoyed it so much he finished it.  After lunch, we split up briefly as I went back to Nando's to buy Adrie some dipping sauce and he went straight back to the hotel to nap.  On my walk back, I decided it was too pleasant a day to stay in and sleep so I dropped off the sauce and walked right back outside.  I stayed out for more than an hour.  The hotel was really in a prime location.  While it's still a 10 minute walk (too long for high heels!) to K St. where you can find a bunch of bars, a cab ride is probably only $5.  Eastward and closer, you have Chinatown and 7th St. which are bustling with activity.  Further south are more streets where you can shop, and of course, even further south, about 15 minutes walk from the hotel, is the National Mall.  Towards the west is downtown DC, where you can find the White House and other offices.  The only place that was really too far from us was Georgetown and unfortunately, we were unable to visit it on this trip.  Not wanting John to miss out on some prime daylight time, I went back to the hotel and bullied him into joining me in the exploration of the city.  He did so, rather begrudgingly.  I didn't help matters when I dragged him into Forever 21 and H&M (both near F and 10th) but he perked up after we got cupcakes from Red Velvet Cupcakery at 675 E St., NW, and especially after he got an iced coffee from Starbucks right at the corner of E St., and 7th Ave.  I enjoyed my Red Velvet cupcake which wasn't as great as the one Crumbs Bake Shop offers, but was still sickeningly, sweetly satisfying.  John's buttercreme cupcake was boring and forgettable.  We walked up and down the streets just taking it all in and enjoying the sights, and after awhile, called it a day and headed back to the hotel.

Yummy, yummy sugar rush.

We cleaned ourselves up and rushed to make our reservation at Zengo (781 7th St., NW).  I had been there before with the MACKR and enjoyed the food so I thought I'd share the experience with John.  It's a Mexican-Asian fusion and while it sounds fancy shmancy, they really do deliver.  We ordered the thai chicken empanadas, the peking duck daikon tacos, and the braised beef shortribs, all of which were tantalizing, delectable and mouth-watering.  As far as pricing goes, it's pretty standard, not too expensive but definitely not an Applebee's or TGIFriday's.  I would definitely go back.

We went back to the hotel room to digest and relax and then took the Metro over to Arlington, VA.  I would compare Arlington to Hoboken, except MUCH cleaner and MUCH nicer.  Mike lives there and was going to go out to a bar there and asked us to join him.  I called out Steph, who also lives there.  We got there a little early, not wanting to fall into the same trap as the previous night where it got too late to want to go out.  We hit up Liberty Tavern on 3195 Wilson Blvd.  We each had only a couple of drinks until it was time to meet Mike at RiRa on 2915 Wilson Blvd.  Though it was packed, it was a great time.  It reminded me of Rutgers' Easton Ave. bars.  There was a cover band playing and they were fantastic.  Steph and I chatted while the boys caught up.  It was a really fun night all-in-all, even though nobody got wasted.

Right before last call, we made our way to Hard Times Cafe at 3028 Wilson Blvd., where we had our last round of beer and topped the night off with some DELICIOUS drunk food, in the form of boneless wings, loaded french fries and the holy grail of macaroni cheese bites.  Full, tipsy, and tired, we called it a night at around 3, said our goodbyes and cabbed it back to the Hyatt.

A drunk's delight

day 3, coming up.

Mission: Healing

It was a year ago yesterday.  They say time heals all wounds...but just how much time? Apparently, a year is not enough.

I thought I was over it, or at least, I thought I had been doing better.  Although not a day goes by that I don't think about it, I've been able to control the surge of emotions associated with it.

Yesterday was rough.  I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat.  From the time I woke up to around mid-afternoon, I couldn't get out of bed.  I hurt, but I felt empty.  I couldn't breathe, but I couldn't catch my breath.

And then there was you.  You knew just what to say and do to make me feel better.  You are a God-send.

It doesn't matter that you weren't there for me when it happened.  It didn't matter then, it doesn't matter now.  What's important is that you are there for me every day afterwards, for the rest of my life.  I truly thank God for that.

So I survived one year.  I hope this gets easier.

No words

I say a little prayer for you.

Mission: DC Getaway, pt. I

So missing out on a trip to Philly with my girlfriends ON TOP of all the crap that was going on that made me miss out on said trip in the first place put me in quite the funk.  It was a good call on John's part to jet off (or, um, drive down) to DC for a few days.  I must say, the spontaneity of the trip was a big mood-lifter in and of itself, so my spirits were definitely on the rise when we set out on a Friday morning.  After a smooth ride down with almost no traffic until we reached the city itself, we checked into the Grand Hyatt (1000 H Street NW), a nice hotel in a great area.  It was pretty standard as far as hotels go but the location made it a great, last-minute find.  The atrium was huge and while the decor was a bit outdated, it was really pretty and reminded me of a cruise ship.  

A view to the elevator bay from the entrance of the hotel.

A view from the 9th floor.

The layout of the hotel was abysmal.  There were plenty of elevators, about 5, but they were all located in a single elevator bay.  The design was such that the rooms encircled the center atrium so if you were at the opposite end of the elevator bay, it took forever to go to your room...such was our case.  The room itself, while weirdly shaped, was decently decorated, standard hotel fare.  It looked clean enough, as did the bathroom, and the bed was comfy so I was satisfied.  

From the little nook where our window was.

After resting up and settling in, we set out for lunch, as it was already past 2:00 and we hadn't yet eaten.  Adrie had long been raving about this place called Nando's so I decided that we should check it out.  We hit up the Chinatown location at 819 7th St. NW.  It was fantastic.  Although they had a pretty well-spread menu, we chose the chicken, since that was their claim to fame...and for good reason.  The chicken was juicy but not overly greasy, and the seasonings were OUT OF THIS WORLD.  We chose the Portuguese rice as our side and I have to say, while it was quite delish, the chicken was definitely the star of the show.  As much as we wanted to get ourselves another order, we refrained, not wanting to be bogged down while we walked. 

Great decor

Amazing food.

Our friend Mike had moved down about a year ago for work and we decided to meet up with him before he started his shift.  On the way, we passed by the Treasury (1500 Pennsylvania Ave.) and the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave.).  We met up with Mike at a Potbelly's not too far away.  It was great seeing him as we hadn't seen him since he left and the feeling was mutual.  We chatted a little bit as we walked him to work.  He pointed out some things in the area that were of interest, then made plans to meet up after he got out of work.  

The north side of the White House.

The Treasury Building.

John and I continued walking towards the Washington Monument but the 90 degree heat and humidity got the better of me -- I started feeling dizzy and lightheaded and John had to made a quick run to a nearby snack stand to fetch some water and an ice-cream bar.  It was exactly what the doctor ordered, as I started to feel better as soon as the water touched my lips.  I should have known better but I'm glad that dizzy spell was as far as it got.  Anyway, after a quick rest under the shade, we went on our merry way to the monument.  I should mention that John hadn't been in DC since he was about 15 or so, so it's been about 10 years.  I think he appreciated it more now than he had back then.  The Monument is smack-dab in-between the U.S Capitol  to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.  The distance between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial is 2.5 miles, and would you believe I've walked it before? I hope so because I have.  

Frolicking towards the Monument, right before I got sick.

Finally at the monument, looking eastbound.

It is so tall.

After the monument, we headed westward towards the Lincoln Memorial.  On the way, we hit the National World War II Memorial on 17th St between Constitution and Independence Avenues.  It is gorgeous and my second favorite memorial in DC.  We took yet another breather there and just enjoyed the calm and beauty that the memorial resonated.  

The opposite end, the Atlantic side, a mirror image of the Pacific side.

Each column has a state.  I found mine.

View of the monument.

After about half an hour, our journey to the Lincoln Memorial resumed.  At this point it was getting to be about 6:00pm so the heat was subsiding.  We walked in the shade alongside the reflection pool where it was blissfully much cooler than had we walked in the open sunlight.  Finally, oh finally, we reached the Memorial.  I must say, it is quite majestic.  Its platform at the head of the Reflecting Pool is simply quite beautiful and the ginormous statue of Lincoln is grand.  The main reason why I don't hold it in higher standards is because of the sheer volume of people that crowd it.  As it was getting later on in the day, there were less people, but past experience still holds me to that bias.  In any case, we briefly soaked it in -- although I'm not sure how much John did since he was excitedly talking my ear off about his newest obsession, Weeds.  

Walking in the shade.

Our destination, finally!

President Lincoln, himself.

The reason it's called the reflecting pool.

We decided to catch a cab rather than walk or take the Metro back to the hotel but before that we made a quick stop at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located NE from the Lincoln Memorial through the park, not too far away.  I've been many times and every single time, the sadness is overwhelming.  There are thousands of names on the wall, thousands of lives lost, even more thousands of lives affected by these losses.  There is a famous picture depicting the poignancy of this memorial that I'll include further down.  It truly is very moving.

Fantastic statue.

To this day, people still remember.  As they should.

Speaks volumes.

Upon finally reaching the hotel, we collapsed onto the bed and rested, though while John napped, I played a game on his iPhone called Sally's Spa.  It is sooo addicting!  We allowed ourselves a couple of hours of rest before we had dinner at Capitol City Brewing Company, right across the corner from the hotel at 1100 New York Ave. NW.  To be honest, I can't remember what I ordered.  The food was satisfying but not memorable, I guess.  The beer was good but nothing we couldn't find at home at any other microbrewery.  It didn't even hold a candle to Basil T's beer.  I had ordered the house red which was a decent choice.  All in all, it filled our stomachs but it was pretty forgettable.  We went back to the hotel to wait for Mike to get out but our full stomachs combined with the entire day's sojourn hit us like a ton of bricks and we decided to stay in that night.

day 2, coming up.

Mission: Family Reunion, pt.VI

The subsequent couple of days were very chill.  I had class so I couldn't join the rest of my family in the shopping and beach trips.  From what I hear, they had a good time at the beach, and from what I saw, they had a great time at the outlets.  After class one night I met up with them at Cheeburger Cheeburger and played an epic game of the Game of Life.

Sloppyummy

The Game of Life...we take it seriously.

 
The last day we were all together, the cousins went bowling since I had a coupon for free bowling for 10.  It was boys vs girls, naturally.  The boys won...only because I let them.  After a quick trip to KFC, we went back home and played another Game of Life then took family pictures.

Pretty presentable

The real us

Team KFC

The first family left that night, then the next morning, the second family left.  Finally, the last family left in the afternoon and then there was just us left.

The entire group

Pinsans <3

Phew, all done.  Of course, there is so much more that happened that didn't get written about but imagine writing 2 weeks' worth of anecdotes?

I miss them. 

Mission: Family Reunion, pt.V

Our last trip out of state was to my very favorite Washington, DC.  Tired and worn out from the past few days, a few of those who have already been to DC decided to skip out on it, meaning I didn't have to drive.  Thankfully.  I love driving and don't mind long trips but after 3 4 days straight of long driving without much time to sleep really drained me.  Anyway, We went to the Basilica of the National Shrine, one of the most captivating churches in terms of sheer magnitude.  It may not be one of the most charming, historical or beautiful, but it really is breath-taking.  Since it was my umteenth time going, I didn't think to take pictures of the interior but perhaps I'll have another blog about it in the future.  Who knows.

the Basilica

After that we went to the Smithsonian,  Our plans were heavily pushed back due to insane traffic and lack of parking.  We ended up parking close by the tidal basin which is not a bad walk to the National Mall...except in 115 degree weather! I swear, the weather was against us the entire trip.  We only visited the National Air and Space Museum but Steph dropped by and visited me, so we spent the entire time talking.

My favorite monument

The hordes of boy scouts we had to deal with

Out last stop was to Georgetown.  It's a cute little area but we didn't really get a chance to explore it in its entirety because we were distracted by the "3 scoops for $3" sign outside of Ben & Jerry's.  Needless to say, we spent the entire time there.

Awesome. The sugar rush ensues.

After an hour or so, we decided to call it a day.  The heat was too much and the fatigue was beginning to set in.  After sleeping the whole way home, the elder cousins decided to party it up.  That portion of the evening (and early next morning) will not be covered in this blog so that obviously means we had a good time. =)

almost done.

Mission: Family Reunion, pt.IV

New York, New York.  Another super hot day.  We made it just in time for lunch and we trekked all the way down to Chinatown for some Joe's Shanghai soup dumplings.  It was delicious and worth the scorching heat.

Sad they couldn't indulge in the soup dumplings

We made our way further downtown to the World Trade Center, then took a break from the 100+ degree weather by walking inside the World Financial Centers.

One of my fave spots in the city

Gorgeous

The brother resting up

Afterwards, my mom, my uncle and I split from the rest of the group to hide away at Rockefeller Center Plaza while they went shopping in the village then toured the Empire State Building.

The Village and Empire State Building 

The three of us had a nice relaxing time which was made even more precious when we met back up with the bigger group; they were incredibly cranky! Hot, tired, sweaty and hungry, they didn't want to stay in NYC much longer so I drove my group back ahead of the rest, who did a quick drive by St. Patrick's Cathedral.  The older ones were in the car with me so we stopped by the liquor store to pick up some goodies for the next night.

Majestic St. Patrick's

last trip next.

(p.s: I know my recaps are getting shorter and shorter, I'm just anxious to finally be finished with these blogs)

Mission: Family Reunion, pt.III

Our biggest trip out of the entire two weeks was an overnight in Boston.  It was...fun. I'm not going to give a play-by-play, so this is a blog in pictures.

Just one of our stops during our 8 hours journey

Lunch stop with the cousins

Pretty Boston

Walking along Boston Common

Fountain

Strolling along on our own Freedom Trail tour

Church

Can't remember which place this is but I love the juxtaposition

Old Granary Burial Grounds

Benjamin Franklin at Faneuil Hall

Quincy Markey -- at last! The end of the Freedom Trail

I do.

No more walking -- trolley tour time!

Massachusetts State House

Boston Harbor Cruise -- Boston skyline

Taking it all in

more tomorrow.